Search form

Search form

A recent study into "blended learning" methods says many educators do not grasp that it goes beyond adding devices to the traditional classroom, Rob Bock writes in this blog post. True blended learning, as described by think tank the Lexington Institute, requires constant innovation and change based on the collection of student achievement data -- rather than simply adding technology to traditional teaching methods.

Related Summaries

Blended learning is just as rigorous as traditional lessons and is not the same thing as distance learning, writes Barbara Haeffner, the director of Curriculum and Instructional Technology for Meriden Public Schools in Connecticut. In this blog post, Haeffner debunks these and other common misconceptions about blended learning.

The quest-based learning approach -- popular on some university campuses -- is beginning to emerge in K-12 classes, suggests Dave Guymon, an online educator in Idaho. In this blog post, he writes that QBL is founded on elements of game design in learning communities and allows students to take charge of their education by choosing activities that promote learning instead of assignments. Research indicates that under this instructional method, students have been shown to do more work, earn higher grades and outperform in other ways, he writes.

For educators focused on 21st-century learning, Derek Luebbe, a high-school principal at the American International School of Budapest, finds potential in a blend of game-based and problem-based learning. In this blog post, he writes that teachers should combine the strong assets of GBL and PBL to create new learning environments that enable students to develop solutions, individualize learning and assessment, respect social learning and simulate real-world situations.

Students could learn far more about science, math and other core subjects if schools encouraged more blending of subjects and project-based learning, writes High Tech High GSE president Rob Riordan in this blog post. Riordan suggests that schools offer alternatives to traditional learning, such as projects where students produce films or pamphlets based on science or economics lessons.

Educational software and online learning has the potential to transform secondary-school education, according to Charles Murray, an author and a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. In this column, he writes that computer games encourage learning while students are having fun -- a method that can improve achievement among hard-to-reach students. "The right software is not just a useful addition to pedagogy in a traditional classroom," he writes. "It has the potential to replace the traditional classroom."